1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for practicing baseball hitting and, more particularly, to practicing hitting a baseball through a mechanism of simple construction but extended capabilities.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the game of baseball, offense constitutes fifty percent and defense constitutes fifty percent. With regard to offense, all things start with hitting. Hitting skills involve hand-eye coordination which, to a certain extent, requires natural talent. To another extent, hitting requires practice.
In the past, practicing hitting normally involved the hitter who was practicing, a pitcher to throw the ball to the batter, and a coach to observe, comment, correct and teach the hitter. Strides have been made in baseball pitching machines whereby batting may be practiced with one less person involved. Pitching machines, however, are expensive devices and require that the pitched ball be gathered up at the end of a practice session regardless how many pitched balls are hit or missed. Various other attempts have been made to provide mechanisms for rendering the practice of hitting more convenient.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,883,138 to Chorey and 4,993,708 to Prosser et al relate to a batting tee apparatus and batting tee. Hamano U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,358 relates to a simulated baseball game. Ham U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,790 relates to a baseball exercising device. Kopp U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,801 relates to a rebound baseball training apparatus. Lastly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,133,549 to Vasquez and 5,184,816 to Zunsford relate to hitting practice devices.
As can be readily understood, present devices for practicing baseball hitting have the burden of one shortcoming or another. Some of the prior art devices allow for supporting the ball to be hit in one position only or, in the alternative, one of a plurality of positioned in a vertical line. Other baseball hitting machines feature the ball being hit to a distance from the device in which case the balls must be gathered prior to being hit again. In addition, other devices for practicing baseball hitting require the use of expensive baseball machines which are difficult to utilize and transport from one location to another. No known device for practicing baseball hitting overcomes all of the prior art shortcomings and provides a device which is convenient, supports the ball in any of a plurality of positions, horizontally or vertically, and may be utilized in the presence of the hitter only.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the art of practicing baseball hitting.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved device for practicing baseball hitting comprising a vertically extending post which has a plurality of spaced apertures formed therein. Further included is a base which has an upstanding centrally located brace adapted to be coupled to the post. The base is fabricated of high density polyethylene. Next included is a hitting arm formed of a semi-rigid elastomeric material. The hitting arm has an interior end and an exterior end, with an intermediate portion coupling therebetween. The intermediate portion is of a greater area adjacent the interior end than the exterior end. The interior end is formed with a bore extending therethrough. The bore has an internal diameter adapted to slidably fit over the exterior diameter of the post. The exterior end of the hitting arm is formed in the size and shape of a baseball for being struck by a player swinging a bat. The hitting arm is fabricated of high density polyethylene. Further included are placement pins which have a head on the exterior end and an interior end having a diameter to slidably fit into the aligned apertures of the post. The placement pins are adapted to be positioned at a location immediately below the bore of the hitting arm to ensure its retention at the vertical elevation to which it was set prior to being hit.
It is a further object of the present invention to practice baseball hitting without the need for expensive baseball machines or the use of another player to pitch the ball.
It is a further object of the present invention to support a ball to be hit in any one of a plurality of positions, horizontally or vertically, for extending the utility of baseball practice machines.
It is a further object of the present invention to strike a ball which is part of a baseball hitting machine but then to keep the ball in a location for being hit again without the problem of retrieving the hit ball.
It is a further object of the invention to readily assemble and disassemble a baseball hitting device to facilitate its storage, relocation and transportation.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.